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elcome to GreaseMonkeyJunkie.com

GreaseMonkeyJunkie.com is leading website and newsletter for the DIY vehicle mechanic. Our goal is to provide community, a sharing of knowledge, and insight into the realm of the GreaseMonkeyJunkie, a.k.a. the do-it-yourself mechanic. Here we’ll bring you the best advice on auto and motorcycle repair, maintenance, upgrades, and of course tools.

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Saving Real Money by Doing-It-Yourself. Really?

Big Money!!!

Saving money. What do those two words mean to you? For some, it means clipping coupons for the weekly grocery shopping trip. For others, it means spending less at big box retailers and spending more at the local thrift shops. It means both for most people. Saving money or simply not wasting it are essentially the same thing. Each year we all can cut our household costs in various ways with great effect.

Next to our annual living expenses, the cost of owning and maintaining our vehicles surely comes in second place. One of the easiest ways to cut that expense is for you to perform the repairs and maintenance on your vehicles that you are capable of performing. You literally can save hundreds, even thousands in most cases. Simply put, the more you do, the more you save.

The complete novice may ask, “How can I accomplish this? I don’t know the first thing about cars or motorcycles.” Well, the answer is you start slow and gradual. You can start with the simplest of things, such as changing your air filter. Then, move onto something more difficult like changing your oil. Your savings will be small at first, but savings nonetheless. Your savings will grow as your skills do.

The first thing you should do is become ­very familiar with your Owners Manual. Here you’ll find answers to common problems associated with your vehicle. Also, you’ll find the maintenance schedule. The maintenance schedule outlines the “what” and “when” for proper maintenance. The owners manual is very important, however, it will contain a limited amount of detail for repairs. So, the next thing you should do is acquire the Service Manual for your particular make/model of vehicle.